New Rules: TA OBc vs Price Reduction

[Jeka]

Booked an Royal cruise today and our TA gave us a choice of having an $X OBC or having $X reduced from our cruise fare. We opted for the latter. We were very surprised by this as in the past the OBC was the only option. Anyone one else run into this.

 

Sorry if it's old news, but hadn't run into yet.

[pcur]

I would take the reduced cruise fare, too. It also reduces the taxes/fees (not port taxes, though). So, you get a little more bang for your discount.

[Merion_Mom]

Peggy, I don't think that it works that way.

 

Have you noticed that when you get a price drop, the other piece (taxes/fees/port charges) doesn't change?

 

There are no "sales taxes" on cruisefares.

 

But my personal preference would be for a fare reduction, too.

 

It would be nice to have the choice. :)

[aloha of the seas]

I believe Cruise care is a % of the fare.Therefore if the fare is reduced,the Cruise care is reduced.

[pcur]

Peggy, I don't think that it works that way.

 

Have you noticed that when you get a price drop, the other piece (taxes/fees/port charges) doesn't change?

 

There are no "sales taxes" on cruisefares.

 

But my personal preference would be for a fare reduction, too.

 

It would be nice to have the choice. :)

 

Yep, you're right. I thought I saw it on my invoices, but I'm wrong. I like the fare reduction because you KNOW you're going to spend that money, while the OBC pretty much makes you spend money to use it up.

[Merion_Mom]

I believe Cruise care is a % of the fare.Therefore if the fare is reduced,the Cruise care is reduced.

 

For some strange reason, you are talking about cruise insurance.

 

No one else on this thread is.

 

:)

[pcur]

I think murf was following up on my (incorrect) logic about the price reduction also reducing other expenses that are calculated on the price of the cruise. Since travel insurance is usually calculated on the price of the travel product you purchase, to get a price reduction on the cruise fare means your travel insurance cost would be less, too. Right?

[Merion_Mom]

I think murf was following up on my (incorrect) logic about the price reduction also reducing other expenses that are calculated on the price of the cruise. Since travel insurance is usually calculated on the price of the travel product you purchase, to get a price reduction on the cruise fare means your travel insurance cost would be less, too. Right?

 

Yes, within certain frameworks, i.e., $350 to $475, insurance is $xxxx. It doesn't usually vary dollar to dollar.

[Jeka]

Back on topic, has any else heard of this? We won't get our invoice until tomorrow as we had to opt out of the insurance, but our TA was adamant that this is now an option.

[Merion_Mom]

Back on topic, has any else heard of this? We won't get our invoice until tomorrow as we had to opt out of the insurance, but our TA was adamant that this is now an option.

 

It sounds like this is something that your TA is offering, not RC.

 

If I have concluded incorrectly, please give more details about what your TA said, and why you would be receiving OBC.

[leoandhugh]

Does it not seem logical that if the TA is offering a reduction in the cruise fare that he/she must have been originally charging more than the cruise line directly. I have always been under the impression that a TA could not offer fare less than what the cruise line advertized UNLESS they had bought a large number of cabins at the group rate:confused:

[stockmanjr]

Back on topic, has any else heard of this? We won't get our invoice until tomorrow as we had to opt out of the insurance, but our TA was adamant that this is now an option.

When I was getting quote for my summer cruise some of the agents offered this..I guess it's the same thinking as an OBC just that the agent is giving part of their commission to you in cash instead of an OBC.

Cheers

Howie

[uksimonusa]

When I was getting quote for my summer cruise some of the agents offered this..I guess it's the same thinking as an OBC just that the agent is giving part of their commission to you in cash instead of an OBC.

Cheers

Howie

 

Although it's the same thinking, RCI specifically prohibits this, a TA may not discount the cruise fare. The only way you should be able to get a lower fare with a TA than with RCI is if the TA created a group and reserved a series of cabins, and since then the price has gone up, the TA can sell them at the price prevailing when they were reserved

[cruisinmom1]

Keep checking on line for cruise reductions for your cruise-

I've called my TA (now I book direct with RCCL) and she's called RCCL and yes they do refund the difference, but you have to be on top of it.

This is why I now book with RCCL- I have no middle-man.

Regarding the insurance- I call Travelguard direct and get my own.

It is really worth it for any emergency, illness, or lost luggage.

[ubdkjrb]

The OP is talking about this option at the time of booking. Discounting the fare is strictly prohibited by RCCL and they do have the option of refusing to allow this agency to sell their cruises in the future. I'd staly away from these people.

 

Peter

[East Bay Skiers]

Peggy, I don't think that it works that way.

 

Have you noticed that when you get a price drop, the other piece (taxes/fees/port charges) doesn't change?

 

There are no "sales taxes" on cruisefares.

 

But my personal preference would be for a fare reduction, too.

 

It would be nice to have the choice. :)

 

 

Hi,

 

If you get a price drop, you also get a reduction on the cruise care insurance (provided your insurance is through RC). That's what happened to us us yesterday -- we got a price drop on our Nov TA and and the price of the insurance went down as well. I'm very happy!

 

Ups!... I should have continued reading! I see this has already been brought up. Sorry!

[KAWS]

Our TA told us that she couldn't discount the cruise for RCCL so gave us OBC instead. This was for 2 different cruises and 5 bookings in total. She said RCCL won't allow the cruise discounting so that's why she offered us the OBC instead.

 

Didn't bother me. We figured that's our gratuities and a few foo-foo drinks for us paid for. :D

[Oville]

We recently transferred a reservation to our TA and were given the same option, fare reduction or OBC. We choose the the lower fare but it would have been nice to have it as an OBC.

[Iron-Maiden's-No1-Fan]

JUst booked 2010 cruise and TA gave us $300 obc and reduction in price :eek:

[Jeka]

The OP is talking about this option at the time of booking. Discounting the fare is strictly prohibited by RCCL and they do have the option of refusing to allow this agency to sell their cruises in the future. I'd staly away from these people.

 

Peter

 

No way, this is our 9th cruise booked with this agency and we have always gotten a very generous OBC from them. Somehow, I don't think RCCL is about to dump them.

[Jeka]

It sounds like this is something that your TA is offering, not RC.

 

If I have concluded incorrectly, please give more details about what your TA said, and why you would be receiving OBC.

 

We would have received an OBC from booking with our TA. Instead we were told now we could take this as a fare reduction. We got our invoice late this afternoon and it reflected the reduction.

 

Hope this helps.

[Richiebaseball]

It's only wrong if they get caught.

[Jeka]

Used this firm for a few years now, talked to RCCL when another company went belly up last year. Royal connected us to this firm assuring us there were no problems. No reason to believe there are any now.

[unklez]

No way, this is our 9th cruise booked with this agency and we have always gotten a very generous OBC from them. Somehow, I don't think RCCL is about to dump them.

 

What charges (dollar amount and merchant) do you see on your Credit Card statement?

[Jeka]

The merchant that has shown on our credit card bill for our past cruises is Royal Caribbean if that's your question.:cool: